Update 11/2:The Voice Radio Network has begun the restructuring of its Delmarva stations.
101.7 WZEB Ocean View, DE dropped its simulcast of Hot AC “B95.3” WKDB Laurel, DE and flipped to Urban “Power 101.7” on Saturday, November 1.
Power is launching with a full airstaff, all formerly of Rhythmic CHR “OC104” WOCQ. As previously announced, PD/Morning Host Bill “Rumpshaker” Baker and co-host Jessica Martinez have jumped for the same positions at WZEB. Martinez will also serve as Assistant Program Director. Kola will host middays. Former OC104 PD/Afternoon Host Deelite The Queen D will be heard in afternoons while Ron Banks will host nights.
The next launch will take place on Monday, November 3 as 103.5 WJKI Bethany Beach, DE and 106.1 WXSH Pocomoke City, MD flip to Classic Rock “The Vault“. WJKI had been simulcasting Classic Rock “Big 98.5“, while WXSH simulcasted Spanish CHR “Maxima 900” WJWL Georgetown, DE, both of which will be going to Adams Radio Group. Hitman McKay will shift from middays at WGBG to host mornings on The Vault.
Finally, the Spanish CHR “Maxima” format will shift from 900 WJWL and 106.1 WXSH to 95.3 WKDB replacing the Hot AC format there.
Original Report 10/28: One of the two new owners heading to the Delmarva has started to show their hands for what they’re planning to do with the stations they’re about to acquire.
The Voice Radio Network was announced back in September as the buyer of Hot AC simulcast “B95.3/101.7” 95.3 WKDB Laurel DE/101.7 WZEB Ocean View DE, WGBG simulcast 103.5 WJKI Bethany Beach DE, and WJWL simulcast 106.1 WXSH Pocomoke City MD with the rest of the former Great Scott Broadcasting stations going to Adams Radio Group. While the Adams sale documents have been filed with the FCC, the Voice ones have not yet.
That hasn’t stopped the company’s CEO, Edwin Andrade from showing the intended formats for their new stations. The group has registered TheVault1035.com, TheVault1061.com, and TheVaultRocks.com for 103.5 WJKI Bethany Beach, DE and 106.1 WXSH Pocomoke City, MD. Power1017.com was registered for WZEB Ocean View, DE and seems to be on the verge of flipping to Urban. A Facebook page for the station was created yesterday describing it as “Your New Home for Hip Hop & R&B” and inexplicably has already gotten 22,696 likes. Andrade registered Max953.com last December which could indicate the new destination for the Spanish CHR “Maxima 900/106.1” that his group has brokered from Great Scott the past few years.
Additionally, PD/Morning Host Bill “Rumpshaker” Baker and co-host Jessica Martinez have exited Rhythmic CHR “OC 104” WOCQ and promoting that same “The Power Is Coming Soon” image seen on the new 101.7 page stating that they’ll be back in six days.
INSTANT INSIGHT: The only way Power 101.7’s Facebook page could have gotten that many likes is by purchasing them. There is no reason EVER to buy social media likes. Having a bunch of likes from robotic accounts based overseas that will never interact with the station will not produce revenue for the station. Facebook’s algorithms are based on how people interact with a page, not how many likes it has.
Buying likes for your station’s page doesn’t benefit anyone involved except the guy taking your money. I am always amused when i visit WHTS/Grand Rapids FB page. If you clicks on the number of LIKES they have, then scroll down, it tells you with what city does that station interact with most. For the longest time it was Maylasia or some other foreign country. Then even better, BOTS were stating to leave the station comments… in Chinese. Just looked a minute ago, most engaged city now is Houston, TX lol. They must be using a new company now.
Advertisers should be careful and watch for those stations that utilize this marketing tactic…. And personally, I find this much like a scam….
95.3 covers the African American-heavy Salisbury area while 101.7 hits the Hispanic-heavy Georgetown, DE area. Shouldn’t they have put Spanish CHR on 101.7 and Urban on 95.3?
On a side note, I don’t think any place has a more confusing array of signals that only cover little bits and pieces of the market than Salisbury/Ocean City has.